Editing Phobos

{{IB-Level
 |image      = Phobos.png
 |id         = 19759411
 |creator    = GMTSean (host)
;Contributors
KobaZz, Tandrii, TechneT, Jobet, NiTro451, iBlade, Palery, [[Smokes]], Jo2000, DreamEater, Tygrysek, Iqrar99, Skitten, Kubs0n, [[Andromeda (Player)|Andromeda]], Caernarvon725, Razur, [[WOOGI1411]], and Riqirez
 |verifier   = Tygrysek (hack-verifier)<br>[[KrmaL]] (legitimate verifier)
 |created    = [[Update 1.9]]
 |updated    = [[Update 2.0]]
 |difficulty = [[File:ExtremeDemon.png|x35px]]
 |stars      = 10
 |length     = 2m 13s (XL)
 |objects    = 26,212
 |copytype   = Password (318008)
 |downloads  = 28.2M
 |likes      = 756.8K
 |rating     = Featured
 |artist     = [https://solkrieg.newgrounds.com/ Solkrieg]
 |music      = [https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/436814 Phobos]
 |musicid    = 436814
}}
'''Phobos''' is a [[Update 1.9|1.9]]/[[Update 2.0|2.0]] Extreme Demon mega-collaboration level hosted by GMTSean, verified and published by [[KrmaL]] on 12 May 2016.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wC8VJ4B2WRg</ref> The level has no set theme and features tight passages and timings, made harder by sections with invisible obstacles, culminating in many difficulty spikes.

Tygrysek initially hack-verified the level on 25 November 2015, with the original considered near-impossible; it was later nerfed. Because the nerfed version is considered harder than [[Bloodbath]], the original, unnerfed version is arguably slightly easier than [[Sonic Wave]]. Unnerfed Phobos was long considered impossible.

On 12 May 2016, KrmaL (then known as Krazyman50) verified Phobos legitimately at 60Hz. He later re-uploaded the level under his account, where it regained its Demon rating. [[Surv]] beat it later on 23 May 2016, and Atomic beat it on 18 August 2016. Since then, multiple other players have beaten it; some of the earliest victors were SoulsTRK, [[Sunix]], [[BlassCFB]], and Skullo.

A super-buffed remake of the unnerfed version of Phobos, [[Deimos (EndLevel)|Deimos]], was created by [[EndLevel]] and verified by [[npesta]] on 17 February 2019.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgxsNzQnF5o</ref> A sequel, also named [[Deimos (ItsHybrid)|Deimos]], was created in [[Update 2.1]] by ItsHybrid and verified by [[Doggie]] on 5 August 2023.

==History==
===The creation of Phobos===
Phobos began as a mega-collaboration hosted by a former Top 20 player named GMTSean. He posted it in a Geometry Dash Facebook group in April 2015 (the group was original and had more than 21,000 members).

GMTSean gave 20 places to players and creators, each chosen for their skills and abilities in the game and in level creation.

One of the first players to get involved was Tygrysek, followed by [[Andromeda (Player)|Andromeda]]. Soon after, many bigger names joined the mega-collaboration, including [[Smokes]], Jo2000, and Skitten. However, contacting them would be difficult.

In May 2015, the mega-collaboration, now named Phobos, was fully built. The team tried to contact [[Riot]] to verify, which he initially accepted. However, he left after taking on the verification for [[Bloodbath]].

In early 2.0, Phobos received an extension, which [[WOOGI1411]] decorated in part. After that, the team began asking who could verify this intense mega-collaboration. Some of the creators tried to verify it themselves. The furthest one was Riqirez, who reached 50% after nearly 30,000 attempts. However, the next day, Tygrysek informed the team that he had verified it. The level was then uploaded on 25 November 2015 and featured Demon almost instantly.

===Hacking accusations drama===
When Phobos was published, hacking accusations surfaced against Tygrysek, as rumours claimed he could not possibly beat such an Extreme Demon in a day without footage. One of the first players to expose him was loogiah, a popular Italian player and creator in-game. One day, he and Riot tipped RobTop off that Tygrysek had hacked Phobos. In turn, it threatened Tygrysek with potential unratification of the level unless it was legitimately verified.

On 29 November 2015, Tygrysek deleted Phobos's content and made it a tiny-length free Demon with an apology message.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jG3Dz00xIyg</ref> The description was changed to this:

<blockquote>'I'm Sick of this thing. It was supposed to be a fun megacollab, it ended bad. Sorry for hacking this... RobTop please remove it.'</blockquote>

The content of Phobos was changed to a message that said this:

<blockquote>'Have fun. Sorry for hacking this... We (The Phobos Team) wanted it to be out as fast as Possible... And it ALL went wrong... Once again, sorry...'</blockquote>

However, just before Phobos was going to get unrated, Tygrysek changed their mind and returned it to the level, this time nerfing it to Bloodbath difficulty. The level remained rated Demon. However, RobTop was tipped off again, and he unrated and deleted the level from the servers. This removal sparked rumours that one of the level's creators had a copy of the original.

===Aftermath and re-verification===
Since Phobos's deletion, no one has attempted this challenge, although several hacked copies have been circulating. WOOGI1411 once posted a cut video of Tygrysek's nerfed version, nerfed in five places (GMTSean, Palery, Kubson, Andromeda, and Riquirez), and WOOGI's popularity made many people look into it, prompting even more players to seek the unnerfed version.

In early 2016, KrmaL took on the project of being the first to beat Phobos, using Tygrysek's nerfed version. He verified it after a few months of practice and 30,000 attempts on 12 May 2016. RobTop rated and featured the level on 20 May 2016. Soon after, Surv beat it on stream, and it immediately placed at #2 on the Demonlist, just below Bloodbath (at that time).

===Legacy===
At its peak, Phobos was considered one of the game's hardest levels. Some of its earliest victors were Surv, Atomic, BlassCFB, and SoulsTRK.

Phobos's popularity also led to numerous sequels, most notably the Deimos mega-collaboration hosted by ItsHybrid. EndLevel also created a harder remake of the unnerfed version of Phobos, also called Deimos, which npesta verified and published on 18 February 2019.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgxsNzQnF5o</ref> Additionally, GDSkele hosted a similar mega-collaboration and set the game's hardest level.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QewMw5wtXoQ</ref>

==Description==
*'''0-4% (KoBaZz):''' Phobos begins with a confusing but fairly simple mini-cube sequence, requiring crucial timing, filled with fake orbs and gravity portals. It is probably the easiest part of the level.
*'''4-8% (Tandrii):''' The background and ground turn dark, and the player will enter a wave sequence, which is moderately hard, [[Acropolis]]-like, and requires crucial timing. The coloured spikes in Tandrii's part briefly turn black and white; then a cube sequence lasts a second, and the player enters a hard mini-wave sequence. A sawblade blocks the obvious route, forcing the player to go under, and then Honeyb appears (Tandrii's former name).
*'''8-13% (TechneT):''' Another cube sequence similar to KoBaZz's follows up, but it is slightly harder and needs more crucial timing. His part design is similar to Steam Chamber by [[Darnoc]]. It also resembles his Demon-rated level, called Mechanic Megaforce.
*'''13-19% (GMTSean):''' This is a confusing UFO sequence with orbs. Here, the player requires precise timing and jumps to pass. This part was one of the few nerfed because it was considered nearly impossible at the time.
*'''19-26% (Jobet):''' This is a ship sequence at half speed with somewhat tight spaces. This tricky ship sequence features numerous gravity changes, a couple of mirror portals, speed changes, and gravity portals that can easily confuse inexperienced players. After this, Jobet's name appears.
*'''26-33% (NiTro451):''' This is a wave sequence that is extremely difficult due to tight spaces, sawblades, and double speed.
*'''33-39% (iBlade):''' The player enters a ball sequence. This part is tricky and requires more timing and jumps, especially switching gravity at the end of platforms to avoid a spike on the other side, followed by a very tight wave sequence with gravity portals. iBlade's name appears in the letter order at the start of this wave sequence, suggesting it was added during Update 2.0. In addition, iBlade's part closely resembles WOOGI's part in [[The Ultimate Phase]].
*'''39-45% (Palery):''' This is a mini-ship sequence with numerous speed changes, designed to throw off the player easily. A triple-speed mini-wave with invisible slopes follows, but that sequence is simpler than some parts of the level (originally, the first double-speed portal had a pink orb spike jump, but that was nerfed because it was ridiculously hard).
*'''45-49% (Smokes):''' The level's colour suddenly changes to green. The player enters a mini-ball sequence. This part requires precise timings, and most of it uses fake lining and invisible platforms. Then comes a UFO sequence with a purple background.
*'''49-54% (Jo2000):''' The player enters a half-speed ship sequence with orbs, gravity portals and extremely tight spaces. Halfway through, the player goes mini and completes the ship. His part ends with a hard triple-speed wave sequence, with a gravity switch halfway through.
*'''54-58% (DreamEater):''' This part mainly consists of a straight-fly sequence with size and gravity portals everywhere, though there are also many timing-based orbs that the player needs to hit to pass this part. A brief wave sequence appears toward the end.
*'''58-61% (Tygrysek):''' There is an awkward transition as a wave into the following triple-speed dual-ship sequence that briefly becomes half speed in the middle.
*'''61-63% (Iqrar99):''' Afterwards, the player enters a short but difficult half-speed mini-UFO/mini-ball mixed dual sequence, similar to that of Ditched Machine.
*'''63-68% (Skitten):''' A normal-speed ship sequence with clusters of sawblades. The part has many gravity portals and yellow orbs that are hard to time. The player suddenly changes to a UFO with numerous gravity portals and even more orbs.
*'''68-72% (Kubs0n):''' In the old version, this part starts with a mini-ship sequence, then changes to a mini-wave leading through tight spaces, difficult timings and hard-to-notice objects. The mini-wave gameplay is slightly similar to one part of Sonic Wave. Instead of a mini-wave in the nerfed version, it is a normal-sized wave instead.
*'''72-75% (Andromeda):''' It resembles the look of Andromeda's collaboration Lunatic Doom Machine, filled with crosses, an upside-down half-speed ship sequence and a one-block-wide straight-fly. The ship was originally mini. However, Kubs0n's part was nerfed to a normal ship/wave sequence, so it became a normal-sized ship.
*'''75-79% (Caernarvon725):''' This part was created during Update 2.0 and is often regarded as the most disconnected part of the level in terms of its decoration. It includes a ball sequence featuring many tight spaces, speed and size portals, and crucial timing. The name 'Caernarvon' appears towards the end.
*'''79-82% (Razur):''' His name appears, then the player is transported up to a short but hard UFO sequence with moving obstacles requiring somewhat difficult timings.
*'''82-90% (WOOGI1411):''' The player will enter a ship sequence, then a short ball sequence, then a second ship sequence. A rotating group of sawblades is spun by a move trigger that must be dodged; if not, the player can be hit. This part requires a notorious amount of straight-fly and is quite difficult. A robot sequence will be visible, but only for a second. Then, it returns to a brief triple-speed cube sequence. A 'Take a Break' text appears (originally 'Wow, you made it far U nub, DIE.', with a grey background and no text movement).
*'''90-100% (Riqirez):''' The last part is a triple-speed mini-ship sequence, with a cluster of small invisible spikes and blocks, along with portals, pads, and orbs that can be seen, resembling [[Neptune|Neptune's]] Demon level Doomsday II (albeit in ship mode). Some crosses feature gradient decoration. Beforehand, it was a near-impossible non-sync mini-ship/mini-cube sequence, but after the nerf, it is now only a mini-ship. Then, the level ends with a hall of the people who participated in the mega-collaboration, with the sentence: 'Congratulations! You have completed one of the hardest megacollabs in GD!' Underneath the text, 'Hacked by Tygrysek' appears, then quickly changes to 'Verified by Krazy'. It was initially 'Verified by Tygrysek'.

==Gameplay==
{{VC|aoKfIfmqWXI}}

==Trivia==
*Upon the creation of the modern [[Demonlist (Pointercrate)|Demonlist]] on Pointercrate on 4 January 2017, Phobos was placed at #6, above Hatred and below [[Athanatos]].
**Phobos swapped places with Bloodbath on 27 May 2017. This change pushed Bloodbath out of the Top 10 for the first time.
***However, they swapped back on 4 June 2017.
*The unnerfed version of Phobos is regarded as the 22nd instance of the hardest-rated level in the game's history.
*Phobos was considered one of the hardest levels of its time because the level is extremely long and because of its abundance of difficult timings and straight-fly. Some consider it on par with, or even harder than, Bloodbath.
**Although Bloodbath was harder than Phobos before, it is no longer considered so, as Phobos is officially harder than Bloodbath.
***If the current difficulty opinion had applied when the level was placed on the GD Forums Demonlist, Phobos would have been the #1 Demon for six months and a week, until its hypothetical dethronement of Athanatos.
*The song 'Phobos' by Solkrieg contains several voice lines. 'Critical Error!' can be heard at Jobet's part, 'Step Forth and be recognised!' at DreamEater's part, 'Who among us shall rise?' at Iqrar99's part, and 'Blood for the blood god...' at Andromeda's part.
**Contrary to the song, no Greek or Roman god represents blood.
*[[BrianTheBurger]] currently has the record for the lowest number of attempts to beat Phobos, with 3,268 attempts.
**However, even though he had 4,824 attempts on Phobos, hotball1 beat it in ~500 attempts on 144Hz, meaning one, he spent 4,324 attempts on 60Hz, and two, if including attempts on one single refresh rate, hotball1 has the record on only one refresh rate on Phobos with ~500 attempts.
*Aeidux and DryBones were initially planned to be in the collaboration, but they never replied to requests.
*Riqirez's part was originally a near-impossible dual sequence (it used to be a mini-ship/mini-cube mixed dual) until Tygrysek reverified the level and nerfed it to a mini-ship sequence. However, Deimos by EndLevel still has the dual sequence.
*The verification of Phobos was once KrmaL's most popular video, currently having over 4 million views. His verification video for [[xo]] now holds the record, with over 5.5 million views.
*The parts nerfed from the original are GMTSean, GW Palery, Kubs0n, and Riqirez.
*GMTSean, one of the creators of Phobos, has also uploaded the unnerfed version of Phobos (there is a secret way at the end of Kobazz's part to allow GMTSean to verify the level easily).
*During the verification process of Phobos, Jobet put a secret way near his signature to make verification much easier, which caused a music bug. This bug was later resolved.
*Although [[Conical Depression]] looked near-impossible and was claimed by KrmaL to be his possibly hardest beaten level in general, Phobos is still his third hardest level ever beaten. Thus, general opinions already claim that Phobos is harder than Conical Depression. The hardest level he has beaten so far is xo, followed by [[Black Blizzard]].
**Surv also claimed this was the second-hardest Demon he had ever beaten at the time, leading some to claim the level is easier than Bloodbath.
*Phobos is the son of Mars/Ares, similar to Deimos, the sequel to Phobos and another son of Mars/Ares.
**In Greek mythology, Phobos is the god of fear, while Deimos is the god of terror.
**In real life, Phobos and Deimos are both moons of the planet Mars.
*This level is criticised for its 'unfun' gameplay, for example, GMTSean's part and the dual parts.
*While verifying, KrmaL's thumb started turning blue from all the clicking.
*Chubs Dubs is the first person to beat Phobos on mobile, beating it on 15 March 2021.
*[[Stormfly]] became the first legitimate victor of the unnerfed version of Phobos on 24 April 2021.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHDeoGBOKDg</ref>
**WellNot reverified unnerfed Phobos through an ILL (Impossible Levels List) version, as the version Stormfly beat was inaccurate.<ref>https://impossiblelevels.com/level/2603</ref>
*[[Vortrox]] gave an interview with three creators of Phobos: Tygrysek, iBlade, and DreamEater.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c52VI6gTTPU</ref>
*The placement of [[Nhelv]] on 13 May 2021 pushed Phobos into the Legacy List of the Demonlist.
{{Togglebox
 |header = Errors
 |body   = <nowiki />
*GMTSean's entire UFO sequence is one block lower than intended.
*Jo2000's part has an accidentally deleted background block.
*[[WOOGI1411|WOOGI1411's]] part contains a solid line object between a set of spikes in the transition from the ship to the robot, which was meant for playtesting from a start position, but it was left in, making the transition harder than intended. [[KrmaL]] intentionally left this error in during his verification because he thought it was funny.
}}
{{Togglebox
 |header = Notable fails
 |body   = <nowiki />
*[[Vortrox]] failed at the last ship sequence at 92%, earning quite a known reaction.
*AlmoAiden and SoulsTRK failed at the last ship sequence at 97%, tying for the current worst fails on Phobos.
*Macaroni & Games failed at the last ship sequence at 96%, meaning he has the second-worst fail.
*Conix failed at the last ship sequence at 92%.
}}

==Videos==
{{VC|wC8VJ4B2WRg|vcurVJuyP7c|7uNS856riE4
 |cpt1 = Verification
 |cpt2 = Unnerfed version verification
 |cpt3 = Unnerfed version
}}

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Demon List levels]]